O’Connor’s ‘wee bit of class’ impresses McGuinness

One hopes Donegal’s Darach O’Connor didn’t have too much time to day-dream during his recently completed Leaving Cert. But, if he did, this was the type of day he surely contemplated.

You find yourself drafted in for an injured colleague — Karl Lacey, no less — and kick 1-2 from play. The goal is a beauty: a one-two and a delightful finish that snuffs out the dying embers of the opposition’s hopes and seals a place in the Ulster final.

Even the last act goes according to script with Jim McGuinness calling the teenager ashore 15 minutes from time to a thunderous, standing ovation from the Donegal patrons camped in the main stand.

O’Connor left behind a Donegal team missing three key senior stalwarts, but one where 22-year Odhran mac Niallais was continuing to dominate the centre sector. “Great, great to see it,” said McGuinness of his youthful stars.

“It’s easy to kick scores sometimes when there is no pressure on but, with Neil Gallagher going off, Rory Kavanagh not available and Neil Gallagher having to go off, it was nice to see them stepping up and bringing the fight to Antrim there in the second half.”

O’Connor’s goal was, perhaps, the highlight in a game that never caught the imagination.

“I was hoping for a point and then he turns back on to his right foot and scores a goal so there was a wee bit of class there,” said McGuinness. “And he does have that trick up his sleeve, which is nice in a forward.

“I think he was well goosed when we took him off because he had run himself into the ground.”

The rest of his colleagues had a full month of uninterrupted training under their belts. No club distractions this summer for McGuinness who spoke excitedly of another clear four-week chunk of training to come before the provincial final. Lacey and Kavanagh should be okay for that, too.

Meanwhile, Antrim manager Baker Bradley was disappointed with the way his side started the second half where the concession of 2-4 cost them the game

“We said at half-time that 10 minutes after half-time, usually Donegal push on. We could have been maybe one or two up, but the first goal killed us. But, look, it was our own mistakes.

“We gave the ball away in the middle of the field. Something that those boys shouldn’t be doing. If you are an inter-county footballer you don’t give the ball away. That’s what happened for the first two goals and the heads dropped after that, so they did.”